The Vikings finally solved a long-running problem in 2016-2017, getting the ball-handler they needed to complement their daunting threats down low. Now, Waterloo is hoping another Shockley leads to another year of ease bringing the ball up court.

Kameron Shockley was everything the Vikings could have asked for in his first and only year of high school basketball. He was brilliant in possession, with a swagger and pizazz rarely seen in Portage County hoops.

Freshman Kyle Shockley is "the exact opposite of Kameron" when it comes to build, he’s roughly a foot shorter, but brings that same confident handle, per Waterloo coach Jason Wise.

"He handles the ball every bit as well as what Kameron did," Wise said. "He has that same swagger. He doesn’t back down from people even though he’s a smaller guard."

With a Shockley up top and another batch of tall, confident forwards down low, especially the superbly talented Vaughn Dorsey, the Vikings are optimistic for 2017-2018.

GUARDS

The 5-4 freshman guard Kyle Shockley is a strong ball-handler, per Wise, with a decent shot.

"He just knows how to play basketball," Wise said. "He always seems to be in the right positions."

He also brings a contagious attitude. (Think Aaron Craft, the feisty former Ohio State point guard.)

"He seems to have some attitude that rubs off on our guys and everyone seems to get nastier when he’s around," Wise said.

Junior Cam Keller, after coming off the bench last year, is poised to play significant minutes following a "really good summer," according to Wise.

"He’s shooting it really well," Wise said. "He’s a stronger kid. He can guard multiple positions. I think his scoring is what we need the most out of Cam."

Trevor Wise, a standout football player, returns to the court after taking a couple of years off and brings sheer hustle.

"He’s just a nasty defender," Wise said. "I don’t know if he cares if he scores a basket or not. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. If he can get a couple of points off a layup, that’s a bonus."

Matthew DeAngelis is a strong point guard off the bench, while Trey Huth adds defensive prowess.

FORWARDS/?CENTERS

Alex Mazur, at 6-6, is deadly for Waterloo.

"We will post him a lot," said Wise, noting that Mazur has been working on his 3-point shot. "I wouldn’t say he’s a great 3-point shooter, but he can knock down a couple here and there."

At times, Mazur prefers taking jump shots, but Wise said the big man is at his best close to the basket, relying on his deft post moves.

Growing right alongside Mazur is Vaughn Dorsey, who gained a couple of inches over the off-season and now stands 6-4 or 6-5. Vaughn is starting to look like his older brother, Victor Brett Dorsey, per Wise. The elder Dorsey was a star for (Akron) Springfield, averaging 24 points and 14 rebounds per game as a senior, before playing college ball for Longwood. The younger Vaughn brings great mobility for his size — and a decent shot. Still a little on the lean side, he excels on the boards, thanks to his ability to get in the right positions and use his long reach when boxed out.

"He could be the centerpiece for us for the next three years," Wise said. "He’s that talented. He has the skill set to be our leading scorer and maybe our leading rebounder."

Jon Jarrett is an X-factor in the Vikings frontcourt, with his willingness to do the things that don’t show up in the box score.

"He’s our nasty kid," Wise said. "He’s the one who wants to dive on the floor. He’ll take charges. You know he won’t miss a box out."

Isaac Linton adds further toughness, a "big, solid kid" who "knows he has five fouls and he’ll use them."

FROM THE COACH’S DESK

Source of Optimism: Wise likes his mix of kids — literally. He said his Vikings have an ideal blend with a couple seniors, a couple juniors and "a good mix of younger players to go with our older players."

Cause for Concern: Youth has drawbacks, and as Wise said, "When you have to play two freshmen, you’re going to go through some growing pains. You just hope those kids can handle the pressure of playing at the varsity level."

Promising Newcomers: The Vikings have quite a few promising newcomers. Wise and Shockley are two, but freshman forward Joe Ward is another talent not to be missed. Per Wise, "He just plays with a pace that you don’t see out of any freshman."

League Outlook: McDonald plays "really good defense," Wise said, and has an out-of-this-world shooter in Zach Rasile. "They’ve got to be mentioned as one of the favorites," Wise said, along with Berlin Western Reserve.

— JONAH ROSENBLUM

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